969MW Neelum Jhelum Hydropower Undertaking: Some serious plan blemishes recognized

• The project was worked at an expense of over Rs 500 billion with a postponement of quite a long while in light of shortcomings, prompting its finished or halfway shut down occasionally and has been unavailable since first seven day stretch of May this year

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is said to have recognized serious plan imperfections in the 969MW Neelum Jhelum Hydropower Undertaking in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJ&K) with the Chinese organization and requested early amendment of deficiencies, very much educated sources told Business Recorder.

The undertaking was worked at an expense of over Rs 500 billion with a deferral of quite a long while due to flaws, prompting its finished or fractional shut down intermittently and has been unavailable since first seven day stretch of May this year.

A two part Board containing previous Government Secretary, Shahid Khan and Secretary Water Assets, Syed Ali Murtaza is examining the undertaking’s shortcomings on the headings of Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif who had likewise visited the task a long time back to get a report on it.

Wapda begins assessment of Neelum Jhelum project headrace tunnel’

The Council has additionally been requested to learn the purposes behind postpone in accommodation from the discoveries/report of the Board of Specialists, recruited in 2022 to figure out the purposes behind the blockage in the tailrace tunnel.

On June 28, 2024, a representative of National Power Control Center (NPCC), the Framework Administrator (SO) expressed during the formal review on FCA for the long stretch of May 2024 that hydel age stayed beneath the projections because of close of 969 MW NJHPP. The monetary effect of closed down of NJHPP has been determined at Rs 55 billion for every annum.

As indicated by sources, Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif who undertook a vital visit to China during first seven day stretch of June, raised the issue of NJHPP with the top manager of the Chinese organizations China Energy/China Gezhouba Gathering which constructed the task.

“Prime Minister raised the issue of serious plan defects in Neelum Jhelum HPP and requested that they correct the shortcoming to make the task functional quickly,” the sources said adding that Director Gezhouba Gathering panel to research the matter and present a report.

He further expressed that M/s Sinosure had expanded deductible protection in view of installment postponements to IPPs, which was creating setback for Azad-Pattan HPP.

On June 12, 2024 Administrator, Water and Power Improvement Authority (WAPDA), Engr Lt Gen Sajjad Ghani (Retd) visited Neelum Jhelum Hydropower Project. He arrived at Dam (Weir) site of the Undertaking situated at Nauseri, Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

The Administrator visited the de-watered head race tunnel to investigate and survey harms that might have happened to the tunnel. He was joined by Project Director, Neelum Jhelum Experts James Stevenson.

The Advisors, the Workers for hire and the Project Group informed the Administrator about the advancement accomplished up until this point. He was informed that de-watering of 48-Km long head race tunnel has been finished from the rise of 1012 feet to 607 feet above mean ocean level.

In this way, examination of the head race tunnel has started. The cycle for drawing in international specialists has likewise been started, as coordinated by the Prime Minister during his visit

As per WAPDA, Neelum Jhelum Hydropower Project was built in a feeble geographical and seismic-inclined region. Decline in headrace tunnel pressure prompted suspension of power age from May . Preceding its suspension, the Task had given in excess of 20 billion units of spotless and green power to the National Lattice starting around 2018. The Project had likewise contacted age level of 1040 MW.

Last week, a few inquiries were shipped off the representative for replies, who noticed that the inquiries have been shipped off the concerned quarters. In any case, WAPDA sent no answer to those inquiries till the documenting of this story.